editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Jackie Northam is Foreign Affairs correspondent for NPR news. The veteran journalist has more than two decades of experience covering the world's hot spots and reporting on a broad tapestry of international and foreign policy issues. Based in Washington, D.C., Northam is assigned to the leading stories of the day, traveling regularly overseas to report the news - from Afghanistan and Pakistan, to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Northam just completed a five year stint as NPR's National Security Correspondent, covering US defense and intelligence policies. She led the network's coverage of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, traveling regularly to the controversial base to report on conditions there, and on US efforts to prosecute detainees. Northam spent more than a decade as a foreign correspondent. She reported from Beirut during the war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, from Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and from Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War. She livedNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Jackie NorthamFri, 09 Dec 2016 05:12:23 +0000Jackie Northamhttp://ktep.org
Jackie NorthamRoyal Dutch Shell has signed a provisional agreement to develop oil and gas fields in Iran, a move that could signal energy companies will not be deterred from doing business with the Islamic Republic despite uncertainty whether a Trump administration will scrap a nuclear deal agreed to by world powers. A spokesman for Shell said a memorandum of agreement was signed Wednesday with the National Iranian Oil Co. "to further explore areas of potential cooperation." The agreement is nonbinding and involves the development of Iran's oil fields in South Azadegan and Yadavaran and the Kish gas field, according to Reuters. The South Azadegan and Yadavaran fields straddle the border with Iraq. Royal Dutch Shell is based in the Netherlands but has operations in the U.S. It is the largest energy company to venture back into Iran since sanctions were lifted after a nuclear deal was implemented in January. It's a move that could signal the controversial deal will remain intact despite threats toEnergy Giant Shell Inks Oil Deal With Iran http://ktep.org/post/energy-giant-shell-inks-oil-deal-iran
97943 as http://ktep.orgWed, 07 Dec 2016 22:35:00 +0000Energy Giant Shell Inks Oil Deal With Iran Jackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: One phone call on Friday was enough to cause an uproar in Washington and Beijing. It was a call between President-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan's president. It's not clear who on Trump's team arranged it. And as NPR's Jackie Northam reports, that one call could have big ramifications. JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: The telephone call between Trump and Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, sent the president-elect's transition team scrambling over the weekend. The call broke four decades of U.S. policy in its relations with China and Taiwan. Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway brushed off the incident on Fox News yesterday. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) KELLYANNE CONWAY: President-elect received a phone call from a world leader in another country. You know, we know about one China. He knows about one China. He's routinely briefed on these matters and that's just what it is. NORTHAM: Beijing considers Taiwan nothing more than aTrump's Phone Call To Taiwan's Leader Risks China Tensionshttp://ktep.org/post/trumps-phone-call-taiwans-leader-risks-china-tensions
97822 as http://ktep.orgMon, 05 Dec 2016 21:40:00 +0000Trump's Phone Call To Taiwan's Leader Risks China TensionsJackie NorthamPresident-elect Donald Trump spoke by phone with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in one of the many routine, get-acquainted chats he'll have before entering the White House. These talks rarely if ever make news, but Wednesday's conversation raised eyebrows because Trump lavished praise on Sharif and Pakistan despite years of tension between the two countries. Here's part of the read-out of their conversation, as released by Pakistan's Press Information Department: "President Trump said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif you have a very good reputation. You are a terrific guy. You are doing amazing work which is visible in every way. I am looking forward to see you soon. As I am talking to you Prime Minister, I feel I am talking to a person I have known for long. Your country is amazing with tremendous opportunities. Pakistanis are one of the most intelligent people. I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstandingTrump Gushes About Pakistan In Call With Its Prime Ministerhttp://ktep.org/post/trump-gushes-about-pakistan-call-its-prime-minister
97617 as http://ktep.orgThu, 01 Dec 2016 22:20:00 +0000Trump Gushes About Pakistan In Call With Its Prime MinisterJackie NorthamThe Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., is a stately old building with turrets, arches and a clock tower soaring 300 feet into the air. Inside, the lobby is equally impressive with massive chandeliers, a grand staircase and a glass ceiling 10 floors up. The 263-room hotel is without doubt luxurious. But it could also represent a massive conflict of interest for President-elect Donald Trump once he takes office. In 2013, Trump signed a 60-year lease for the building, once the headquarters of the U.S. Post Office, and began a $200 million renovation to turn it into an upscale hotel with the help of loans from Deutsche Bank, a large German bank. Trump's financial disclosure reports, viewed by NPR, show he currently owes Deutsche Bank roughly $365 million in loans for the Washington hotel, another one in Chicago and a Florida golf course. Deutsche Bank is one of the large global banks investing in and betting on real estate around the world. So it makes some sense it would beTrump's Loans From Troubled German Bank Pose Conflict Of Interesthttp://ktep.org/post/trumps-loans-troubled-german-bank-pose-conflict-interest
97558 as http://ktep.orgThu, 01 Dec 2016 10:09:00 +0000Trump's Loans From Troubled German Bank Pose Conflict Of InterestJackie NorthamAfter Donald Trump is sworn in as president on Jan. 20, he will follow a time-honored tradition and make his way from the U.S. Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue. Along the way, just a few blocks before he reaches the White House, he'll pass the Trump International Hotel. The 263-room luxury hotel is becoming the focus of a debate over conflict of interest between Trump and his business dealings. Trump doesn't actually own the landmark building, which was once the headquarters of the U.S. Post Office . In 2013, he signed a 60-year lease for the building with the General Services Administration, which helps manage and support federal agencies. The Trump Organization spent upwards of $200 million on renovations and reopened it as a hotel about a month before the Nov. 8 presidential election. But there's a hitch, according to Steven Schooner , a government procurement expert who is also a law professor at the George Washington University School of Law. Schooner has studied the 100-plus-pageLaw Professor: Trump Can't Hold Lease On His Hotel Near White Househttp://ktep.org/post/law-professor-trump-cant-hold-lease-his-hotel-near-white-house
97451 as http://ktep.orgTue, 29 Nov 2016 19:37:00 +0000Law Professor: Trump Can't Hold Lease On His Hotel Near White HouseJackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: President-elect Donald Trump has doubled down on a campaign pledge. He says he will pull the U.S. out of a massive Asian-Pacific trade deal initiated by the Obama administration. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, was devised to link the economies of the U.S. and other Pacific nations. The U.S. withdrawal would open the way for China to strike its own deals across Asia. NPR's Jackie Northam reports. JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: President-elect Trump never lost an opportunity to bash the TPP while he was on the campaign trail. On Monday night, Trump released a video laying out what he plans to do once he's in the Oval Office. And the TPP was at the top of his list. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DONALD TRUMP: On trade, I am going to issue our notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country. NORTHAM: Trump's declaration effectively brings to a halt five years of hardTrump's Rejection Of TPP Paves Way For China To Strike Asian Trade Dealshttp://ktep.org/post/trumps-rejection-tpp-paves-way-china-strike-asian-trade-deals
97108 as http://ktep.orgTue, 22 Nov 2016 21:39:00 +0000Trump's Rejection Of TPP Paves Way For China To Strike Asian Trade DealsJackie NorthamIt appears the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a sweeping free trade deal that would link the U.S. with 11 Pacific Rim nations, is on its deathbed. The deal, which President Obama hoped would be part of his legacy, was slammed by President-elect Donald Trump during the election campaign , and Republicans made it clear they wouldn't consider it during the lame duck session. The TPP, which had been championed by Republicans just a year ago, fell victim to a wave of opposition to globalization and free trade agreements that became a rallying cry during the presidential campaign. Trump calls the TPP a "disaster," and even Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton denounced the deal, despite fully backing it while she was secretary of state. The TPP was the center point of the Obama administration's so-called "pivot" to Asia, a strategy which would solidify economic, security and diplomatic relations with allies in the region. The deal would have eliminated thousands of tariffs and help set up rigidObama Isn't Expected To Push Congress On Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Dealhttp://ktep.org/post/obama-not-expected-push-congress-trans-pacific-partnership-trade-deal
96519 as http://ktep.orgSat, 12 Nov 2016 01:45:00 +0000Obama Isn't Expected To Push Congress On Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade DealJackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: And President-elect Trump captured many votes from workers who have been hurt by globalization, promising he would rip up or renegotiate free trade deals. Analysts say pulling out of those deals could severely affect the U.S. and global economy, as NPR's Jackie Northam reports. JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: Blasting free trade agreements like NAFTA was always a surefire way for President-elect Trump to rile up the crowds at his rallies. It hit a raw nerve, particularly with unskilled workers in the Rust Belt who have not felt the benefit of free trade. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) DONALD TRUMP: A Trump administration will renegotiate NAFTA. And if we don't get the deal we want, we will terminate NAFTA and get a much better deal for our workers and our companies. NORTHAM: Trump says he will make good on that NAFTA promise as part of his first 100 days agenda. Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University, saysHow U.S. Trade Policy Could Change Under The Trump Administrationhttp://ktep.org/post/how-us-trade-policy-could-change-under-trump-administration
96386 as http://ktep.orgThu, 10 Nov 2016 12:27:00 +0000How U.S. Trade Policy Could Change Under The Trump AdministrationJackie NorthamOne of China's wealthiest men has been on a buying spree in Hollywood, snapping up cinemas and movie production companies. Now Wang Jianlin, the chairman of the Beijing-based Dalian Wanda Group has acquired another piece of Americana: Dick Clark Productions. The deal announced Friday gives Wang's company, the Dalian Wanda Group, the rights to star-studded events such as the Golden Globes awards, the American Music Awards, the Miss America pageant, and New Years Rockin Eve in Times Square. Dick Clark Productions has been around since the 1950s when American Bandstand was broadcast on black and white television sets across the country. It's just the latest big-ticket acquisition for the Chinese mogul. Wanda has bought AMC theatres, the country's 2nd largest cinema chain, for $2.6 billion. It scooped up Legendary Entertainment, one of the biggest movie production companies in Hollywood, for $3.5 billion. Wanda has announced plans to buy Carmike Cinemas for just over $1 billion. If thatChinese Mogul Buys Dick Clark Productions, His Latest U.S. Purchase http://ktep.org/post/chinese-mogul-buys-dick-clark-productions-his-latest-us-purchase
95995 as http://ktep.orgFri, 04 Nov 2016 13:46:00 +0000Chinese Mogul Buys Dick Clark Productions, His Latest U.S. Purchase Jackie NorthamCall it a win for the Walloons. The Belgian government says it has broken a deadlock over a major trade agreement between the European Union and Canada, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The deal had been held up in the final days by Wallonia, a tiny French-speaking enclave in the small country of Belgium. The roughly 3.5 million Walloons account for less than 1 percent of the entire population of the European Union, which has more than 500 million residents. While their numbers may be small, the Walloons' vote packs a wallop. They voted against the trade deal, which was seven years in the making, holding out for more favorable conditions. The agreement was to be signed at an elaborate ceremony Thursday in Brussels. But it was postponed while Belgian and other European negotiators went back to the table to work on Wallonia's demands. The Walloons were concerned that the trade pact could reduce health and environmental standards and give too much power toThe Walloons Pack A Wallop As Canada, Europe Agree To Tweak A Trade Dealhttp://ktep.org/post/walloons-pack-wallop-canada-europe-agree-tweak-trade-deal
95528 as http://ktep.orgThu, 27 Oct 2016 17:55:00 +0000The Walloons Pack A Wallop As Canada, Europe Agree To Tweak A Trade DealJackie NorthamThe Walloons still aren't budging. Thursday is supposed to be signing day in Brussels for a major free trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, an agreement seven years in the making, which involves 29 countries with a combined population of more than 500 million. The media was lined up. Special pens were set aside. VIPs were making travel plans, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and many European leaders. But the Walloons are still saying, "No deal." Don't worry, many others have also had to ask: Who are the Walloons? And how have they managed in the final moments to upend the trade pact known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA ? The Walloons come from Wallonia, a tiny, French-speaking enclave in the south of Belgium. There are roughly 3.5 million people in Wallonia, less than 1 percent of the whole European Union, but given the complex nature of the EU's decision-making process, Wallonia's vote counts when it comes to CETA. And it29 Countries Want A Trade Deal — And Wallonia Is Still Blocking It http://ktep.org/post/29-countries-want-trade-deal-and-wallonia-still-blocking-it
95460 as http://ktep.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 19:43:00 +000029 Countries Want A Trade Deal — And Wallonia Is Still Blocking It Jackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Crown Prince To Succeed Thai King Who Died After 70-Year Reignhttp://ktep.org/post/crown-prince-succeed-thai-king-who-died-after-70-year-reign
94735 as http://ktep.orgFri, 14 Oct 2016 11:12:00 +0000Crown Prince To Succeed Thai King Who Died After 70-Year ReignJackie NorthamWhen foreign leaders loot their homelands, they sometimes like to stash their valuables in the U.S. Yachts, mansions and artwork have all been purchased in America with laundered money, according the the U.S. Justice Department. It happens often enough that the department has set up a special unit dedicated to tracking down international kleptocrats. Some foreign rulers should get points just for pure audacity: Sani Abacha, Nigeria's authoritarian ruler from 1993 until his death in 1998, viewed his country's coffers as his own private ATM, says Stuart Gilman, who helped track down stolen assets for the United Nations and the World Bank. "He would literally take suitcases full of money from the national bank and bring it to London and Switzerland and other places," Gilman says. The Justice Department sought to recover $625 million from Abacha, and seized $458 million. Abacha's family is appealing the case. Then there's Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the vice president of EquatorialWhen Kleptocrats Bring Money Into The U.S., There's Now A Plan To Seize It http://ktep.org/post/when-kleptocrats-bring-money-us-theres-now-plan-seize-it
94641 as http://ktep.orgThu, 13 Oct 2016 09:07:00 +0000When Kleptocrats Bring Money Into The U.S., There's Now A Plan To Seize It Jackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Reconsiders Support Of Saudi-Led Coalition In Yemen Conflicthttp://ktep.org/post/us-reconsiders-support-saudi-led-coalition-yemen-conflict
94564 as http://ktep.orgTue, 11 Oct 2016 20:31:00 +0000U.S. Reconsiders Support Of Saudi-Led Coalition In Yemen ConflictJackie NorthamThe U.S. and the Philippines are long-standing allies, but you would never know it from the way President Rodrigo Duterte is talking these days. Since his election in June, Duterte has been unleashing anti-American rhetoric, which has included demands that the U.S. withdraw special operations forces helping to fight Islamists in the southern Philippines. He has also threatened to cancel joint naval patrols and warns this will be the last year the two countries will hold joint military exercises, saying they haven't benefited the Philippines. "Instead of helping us, the first to criticize is this State Department, so you can go to hell, Mr. Obama, you can go to hell," Duterte said Tuesday . And in separate remarks the same day, Duterte made a separate threat : "Eventually I might, in my time, I will break up with America." Then he added: "I would rather go to Russia and to China." This was not the first time but only the most recent time that he has publicly insulted the U.S. president.He Did It Again: Philippine President Keeps Insulting The U.S. (And Obama)http://ktep.org/post/he-did-it-again-philippine-president-keeps-insulting-us-and-obama
94211 as http://ktep.orgWed, 05 Oct 2016 18:48:00 +0000He Did It Again: Philippine President Keeps Insulting The U.S. (And Obama)Jackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit DAVID GREENE, HOST: The U.S. Treasury Department has given its approval for Boeing to sell passenger jets to Iran. This effectively ends a decades-old ban on selling aircraft to that country. As NPR's Jackie Northam reports, the sale was made possible with the easing of sanctions in last year's Iran nuclear agreement. And like that agreement, this deal is not without controversy. JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: The deal between Boeing and Iran Air is for 80 commercial passenger aircraft. It's a mix of single-aisle and wide-body jets. The Treasury Department has been scrutinizing the terms of the sale for months. ZACHARY GOLDMAN: The deal is not without risk. But hopefully, there were stringent monitoring and verification provisions put in the licensing agreement. NORTHAM: Zachary Goldman is with New York University School of Law and worked on Iran sanctions at the Treasury Department. He says government agencies had a robust debate about granting Boeing aU.S. Officials Approve Deal With Iran For Boeing Planeshttp://ktep.org/post/us-officials-approve-deal-iran-boeing-planes
93499 as http://ktep.orgThu, 22 Sep 2016 10:20:00 +0000U.S. Officials Approve Deal With Iran For Boeing PlanesJackie NorthamSaudi Arabia is such an influential player in the oil industry that any action it takes — or is rumored to take — can sway global markets. So it's not surprising there's a lot of speculation about whether its massive state oil company, Saudi Aramco, is trying to buy a refinery in Texas . The oil refinery, owned by the Dutch company LyondellBasell, sits along the Gulf of Mexico coast near the port of Houston. It's for sale, and analysts believe Saudi Arabia is eyeing it. That's creating a lot of chatter among global oil analysts, foreign policy experts, and Saudi watchers who are trying to decipher why the kingdom is interested. This is not the kind of thing the Saudis would have done in the past, especially when oil markets were flush. But such a move today would be in line with efforts by King Salman , who assumed the throne last year, and his son Mohammed bin Salman, the deputy crown prince, to modernize and diversify the kingdom's economy to make it less dependent on simplyAs Saudi Arabia Diversifies, A Texas Oil Refinery May Be In Its Futurehttp://ktep.org/post/saudi-arabia-diversifies-texas-oil-refinery-may-be-its-future
93410 as http://ktep.orgTue, 20 Sep 2016 20:15:00 +0000As Saudi Arabia Diversifies, A Texas Oil Refinery May Be In Its FutureJackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Philippine President Urges U.S. To Remove Military Advisershttp://ktep.org/post/philippine-president-urges-us-remove-military-advisers
93015 as http://ktep.orgTue, 13 Sep 2016 20:30:00 +0000Philippine President Urges U.S. To Remove Military AdvisersJackie NorthamCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test Sparking International Condemnationhttp://ktep.org/post/north-korea-conducts-nuclear-test-sparking-international-condemnation
92805 as http://ktep.orgFri, 09 Sep 2016 20:31:00 +0000North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test Sparking International CondemnationJackie NorthamDozens of massive container ships are stranded at sea, looking for a place to dock after one of the world's largest shipping companies went bankrupt. Lars Jensen, the CEO of Sea Intelligence Consulting, which focuses on container shipping, says the container ships are operated by the South Korean-owned Hanjin Shipping company. "It is some 85 to 90 vessels, and they really are scattered all over the world," he says. Jensen says the ships anchored in or circling the high seas represent about half of Hanjin's fleet. The company was the seventh-largest shipping line in the world until it declared bankruptcy Aug. 31, leaving an enormous amount of cargo stranded at sea. "In terms of how much cargo is impacted, the only solid number we've heard came from the Korean ministry that said we're talking about 500,000 containers," Jensen says. He believes the actual amount of cargo is higher than that. That's because other shipping companies have likely put some of their containers on the HanjinContainer Ships Stranded At Sea After South Korean Company Goes Bankrupthttp://ktep.org/post/container-ships-stranded-sea-after-south-korean-company-goes-bankrupt
92737 as http://ktep.orgThu, 08 Sep 2016 21:31:00 +0000Container Ships Stranded At Sea After South Korean Company Goes Bankrupt